THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Next week, the United States House
of Representatives is scheduled to debate a welfare reform plan that
will touch the lives of millions of Americans. The last time Congress
reformed welfare, in 1996, it put millions of Americans on the path to
better lives.

Because of work requirements and time limited benefits, welfare
caseloads have dropped by more than half. Today, 5.4 million fewer
people live in poverty, including 2.8 million fewer children than in
1996. Yet, the real success of welfare reform is not found in the
number of caseloads that have been cut, but in the number of lives that
have been changed.

I've traveled all across our nations and I've met people whose
lives have been improved because of welfare reform. I have heard
inspiring stories of hope and dignity and hard work and personal
achievement. Yet, there are still millions of Americans trapped in
dependence, without jobs and the dignity they bring. And now Congress
must take the next necessary steps in welfare reform.

Compassionate welfare reform should encourage strong families.
Strong marriages and stable families are good for children. So stable
families should be a central aim of welfare policy. Under my plan, up
to $300 million per year will be available to states to support good
private and public programs that counsel willing couples on building a
healthy respect for marriage.

Compassionate welfare reform must allow states greater flexibility
in spending welfare money. Today, confusing and conflicting
regulations are keeping people from getting help. My proposal would
give states the freedom to redesign how federal programs operate in
their states. This will allow states to be more innovative in
providing better job training, housing and nutrition programs, and
better child care services to low income families.

Most of all, compassionate welfare reform must encourage more and
more Americans to find the independence of a job. Today, states on
average must require work of only 5 percent of adults getting welfare.
I am proposing that every state be required within five years to have
70 percent of welfare recipients working or being trained to work at at
least 40 hours a week. These work requirements must be applied
carefully and compassionately.

Because many on welfare need new skills, my plan allows states to
combine work with up to two days each week of education and job
training. Our proposal allows for three months in full-time drug
rehabilitation or job training. And adolescent mothers can meet their
work requirements by attending high school. A work requirement is not
a penalty. It is the pathway to independence and self-respect. For
former welfare recipients, this path has led to a new and better life.

When I was in North Carolina earlier this year, I met Ella
Currence, a mother of four, who was on welfare for seven years. She
knew change would be difficult. But she also knew change was best.
Ella began participating in the state's Work First program. She has
been working for the last five years, and she put her life in order.
Ella says, "you can do anything you want to do if you put your mind to
it." This is the spirit and confidence encouraged by work.

Everyone in America benefits from compassionate welfare reform.
Former welfare recipients gain new hope and know the independence and
dignity of an honest day's work. As our recovery continues, business
will need more motivated and trained workers. Good welfare reform laws
can break dependency and help the American economy.

My administration has worked closely with Congress in writing the
new welfare legislation. It's an excellent bill that will provide hope
and promise, dignity and opportunity to millions of Americans. I urge
the House to pass it, and the Senate to then act on it.